The Fourth National Mental Health Plan recognised the role of carers in mental health service provision and the need for carers and families to receive information, within the bounds of privacy and confidentiality, about the treatment and care provided to the consumer. A national project was undertaken, guided by the Mental Health Information Strategy Standing Committee, to develop a tool to support mental health services to monitor and improve carer engagement as part of an evidence-informed quality improvement program. The Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network (AMHOCN) was tasked with undertaking development work on a carer experience tool, in collaboration with an Expert Advisory Panel. This resulted in the Mental Health Carer Experience Survey. Download a copy of the project report: Development of the Mental Health Carer Experience Survey: Final Report.
The survey is now available for use across the sector. You can view a sample copy of the Mental Health Carer Experience Survey. However, if you would like to access and use the Mental Health Carer Experience Survey, please complete the fields below. You will then be able to download the MH CES. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact AMHOCN by email.
A resource to support the use of the MH CES has also been developed: Mental Health Carer Experience Survey: Guidance for Organisations
The MH CES is about understanding the carer experience. The following short video provides an opportunity to reflect on what those experiences might be from one carer's perspective.There are also resources available to support quality improvement activities in relation to carer enagagement. One useful resource is A practical guide for working with carers of people with a mental illness. This guide aims to assist staff across service settings in Australia in the recognition and support of carers, to enable them to continue in their role as partners in recovery.